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Ed  S 

I* -. — *   A     -  _  _  Jthl 

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class,  subject  to  the  following  regulations  : 

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direct ;  and  if  one  or  more  books,  belonging  to  a  set  or  sets,  be  lost,  th< 
borrower  shall  replace  them  or  make  full  restitution. 
.  Article  VII.— Any  person  removing  from  the  Hall,  without  perm 
sion  from  the  proper  authorities,  any  book,  newspaper  or  other  prope 
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who  may  inflict  any  fine  not  exceeding  twenty-five  dollars. 

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annual  contribution  for  the  current  year  shall  be  unpaid  or  who  i 
arrears  for  fines,  shall  be  entitled  to  the  privileges  of  the  Library 
Reading  Room. 

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refuse  or  neglect  to  comply  with  the  foregoing  rules,  it  shall  be  the  dul 
of  the  Secretary  to  report  him  to  the  Committee  on  the  Library. 

Article  X. — Any  Member  or  holder  of  second  class  stock,  detecte 
in  mutilating  the  newspapers,  pamphlets  or  books  belonging  to  the  Insti 
tute  shall  be  deprived  of  his  right  of  membership,  and  the  name  t)f 
offender  shall  be  made  public. 


J' 

i 


THE  ART 

OP 

HOUSE-PAINTING: 


A  CLEAR  AND  COMPREHENSIVE  RECORD  OF  THE 
OBSERVATIONS  AND  EXPERIENCES,  DURING 
MANY  YEARS,  OF  A 

PRACTICAL  WORKER  IX  THE  ART, 

AND  DESIGNED  TO  INSTRUCT  AND  assist  IN  THE 
EVERYDAY  WORK  OF  PAINTERS  AND  OTHERS. 

\   >     » »      t\  o  o  i  e        >  -> ' ,  "         '      '  .   '  ■ 

^     O    >'  °    i    J  n     5  '  5  5    '    1    >J  hy 

»,  o   JQIIlSr  STK\'KVS, 


SECOND  EDITION. 
NEW  YORK: 

JOHN  WILEY  &  SONS, 
53  East  Tenth  Street. 
1890. 


Co  MS 
TT 


Copyright,  1877. 
JOHN  WILEY  &  SONS, 


ME  GETTY  CtNifcX 
LIBRARY 


PREFACE. 


Not  only  the  practical  man  will  find  the  con- 
tents of  this  book  valuable  in  its  sensible  state- 
ments of  the  way  of  working,  but  all  who  build 
houses,  as  well  as  those  who  live  in  them,  will 
find  many  hints  which  they  can  use  to  their 
advantage. 

To  the  business  man  a  system  is  essential,  to 
enable  him  to  perform  his  work  in  a  thorough 
manner,  and  the  author  has  accordingly  empha- 
sized its  importance.  Having  proved  this  in 
conducting  his  own  work,  he  has  here  endeavor- 
ed to  show  others  how  to  do  it. 

D.  W.  C.  S. 

Yonkers,  Westchester  Co.,  N.  Y. 
October  27,  1877. 


CONTEXTS. 


Priming  Outside. 

PAGE 

Blisters   52 

Blocking  and  veining   2S 

Boiled  oil   44 

Brick-work   £4 

Brushes  and  preservation  of   3 

Carts,  wagons,  etc   43 

Cheap  oils   45 

Cleet-spots,  ladders  37,  38 

Coloring  materials   7 

Commencing  repaint   33 

Compositions   46 

Consistency  of  paint   4 

Consistency  of  paint,  direction,  etc   18 

Crawling   23 

Disposition  of  colors  for  blinds   34 

Disposition  of  colors   34 

Dust  on  houses   32 

Economy  of  application   5 

Fatty  paint   39 

Finishing  outside   15 

Flashing   21 

Glazing,  repairing   49 

Green  paints   22 

Guarding  against  damage  by  rain,  etc   19 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Lining   27 

Materials   1 

Of  "laps,"  etc.,  and  brushing  6,  7 

One-coat  painting    30 

Out-houses,  saving  time  36,  37 

Preparation   1 

Preventing  rust   30 

Puttying  joints,  tacking,  oil  adulterates   31 

Putty  and  puttying,  cleaning,  etc   16 

Quantity  and  application  3.  5 

Removing  old  paint   54 

Roof-painting   40 

Rubbing  down  :   53 

Sanding,  sanders   24 

Sash  and  hot-house  47,  48 

Shingle  roofs   43 

Smoky  or  greasy  paint   54 

Squaring  ,   20 

Strainers   18 

System  of  painting,  etc   9 

System  of  painting  blinds  and  fences   .10,  11 

Time  for  drying   15 

Tin  and  iron  work   30 

Zinc  driers   *±4 

Priming  Inside  TVood-work. 

Cleaning   58 

Danger  from  dampness   57 

Drop-cloths   59 

Drying-rooms   56 

Egg-shell  gloss   65 

Enamel   67 

Finishing  inside  work   61 


CONTENTS.  Vii 

PAGE 

Flatting   61 

Ground  colors  for  graining   69 

Old  wood-work  ,   59 

Preparing   61 

Priming   56 

Priming  for  graining   57 

Shellacing  and  shellac  55,60 

Suitable  brushes.   58 

System  9,  59 

Tinting   66 

Wet  wood   56 

White-lead  puttying   58 

White  shellac   60 


THE 

ART  OF  HOUSE -PAINTING. 


OUTSIDE  PAINTING. 

PRIMING  NEW  WOOD-WORK. 

Preparation. — First,  let  the  wood  get 
perfectly  dry  from  rains,  storms,  or  damp- 
ness, then  cover  all  the  knots  and  pitchy 
places  with  a  varnish  made  of  gum-shel- 
lac dissolved  in  alcohol  to  about  the  thick- 
l  ness  of  molasses.  Apply  the  varnish  with 
a  small  brush.  It  dries  very  quick,  and 
the  paint  may  then  be  put  on. 

Materials.— The  paint  should  be  the 
best  white  lead  mixed  in  pure  raw  linseed- 
,    oil.    Turpentine  may  be  used  in  winter  to 
^  make  the  paint  work  easy,  as  the  oil  is 
X  apt  to  chill  and  the  paint  become  thick 
and  work  tough  under  the  brush  ;  but  in 
summer  it  should  not  be  used  in  priming 


2 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAIXTIXG. 


but  in  places  where  the  sun  does  not  reach. 
In  winter,  it  will  be  necessary  to  put  in 
litharge,  or  some  other  drier  ;  but  in  sum- 
mer, drier  is  not  much  needed  for  priming, 
for  good  oil  will  dry  of  itself  in  a  day  or 
two,  and  if  the  wood  is  seasoned,  and  as 
dry  as  it  should  be,  there  is  not  much  dan- 
ger of  showers  or  storms  washing  off  the 
paint,  as  it  will  mostly  be  absorbed  in  the 
surface. 

Mixing. — The  lead  or  zinc  paint  thus 
mixed  may  be  colored  by  the  addition  of 
ochre,  Spanish  brown,  etc.,  directions  for 
which  will  be  given  under  its  proper  head. 
Priming  outside  should  always  be  made 
as  light-colored  as  possible.  If  the  house 
or  building  is  to  be  finished  white,  of 
course  the  priming  should  be  white  ;  but 
if  it  is  to  be  finished  a  brown,  the  priming 
should  be  a  light  brown.  The  same  in  re- 
gard to  any  other  color  intended  to  be  the 
finish,  because,  if  this  rule  is  adhered  to, 
the  first  colors  will  not  show  through  so 
soon  by  wear,  or  in  joints  which  may 
partially  open  by  the  weather  ;  besides,  a 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAJNTING. 


3 


less  quantity  of  paint  is  required  to  finish 
and  cover  ;  and  it  is  well  to  liave  it  under- 
stood at  the  beginning,  that  too  much  paint 
can  be  put  on  outside  wood- work — that  is, 
it  can  be  put  on  too  thick  in  any  one  ap- 
plication. 

Brushes. — The  priming  color  should  be 
applied  with  a  good  brush  of  the  largest 
6  0  size,  bridled,  if  a  new  one,  about 
one  third  the  length  of  the  bristles  with 
good  twine,  and  as  the  brush  wears,  the 
binding  or  bridle  to  be  taken  off.  Care 
should  be  taken  to  use  or  wear  the  brush 
flat  or  wedge-shape  with  a  straight  tip. 
This  can  be  done  by  holding  it  always  in 
one  position  in  the  hand.  If  it  is  suffered 
to  turn  round,  it  will  wear  stubby  and  be 
unfit  to  do  good  or  smooth  work.  As 
brushes  cost  a  good  deal  of  money,  it  is 
essential  that  great  care  should  be  taken 
in  their  use  and  in  preserving  them. 

Preserving  Brushes. — If  they  are  in 
every-day  use,  they  should  be  put  every 
night  in  water,  standing  them  very  care- 
fully in  a  tub  or  other  vessel,  and  not  let 


4  THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTIXG. 


the  water  reach  more  than  half  way  the 
length  of  the  bristles.  But  if  the  painting 
is  all  done,  and  the  brushes  are  yet  good, 
they  may  be  preserved  for  a  long  time  by 
washing  them  out  clean  in  warm  water  and 
soap,  and  laying  them  away  in  a  moist 
place.  Care  should  be  taken,  however,  to 
have  all  the  paint  taken  entirely  out  of 
them  by  first  washing  them  thoroughly 
with  turpentine. 

Consistency  of  Paint. — The  paint 
should  be  thin  enough  for  priming  to 
work  easy  under  the  brush,  and  not  run 
or  drip  on  the  surface,  as  it  will  if  too 
thin.  It  should  not  be  thick  enough  to 
cover  the  grain  of  the  wxood,  for  it  would 
be  apt  to  blister  after  a  time,  and  would 
work  very  tough  and  hard  while  being 
put  on.  Care  should  be  taken  that  every 
potful  of  paint  used  should  be  of  the 
same  consistency,  for  if  one  part  is  painted 
or  primed  with  thick  paint  and  the  other 
with  thin,  it  will  not  be  long  before  it  will 
show  in  patches  and  spots,  which  spoil  the 
looks  of  the  building. 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE  PAIXTING.  5 


Application.  —  Apply  the  paint  on 
about  a  square  yard  or  more,  without  re- 
gard to  smoothing  it  off,  or  a  much  larger 
space,  according  to  circumstances,  or  as 
far  as  a  man  can  well  reach  from  a  ladder. 
Get  the  paint  on  evenly,  and  then  com- 
mence to  smooth  or  lay  it  off,  drawing  the 
brush  evenly  and  straightly  across  the 
surface  covered. 

Economy  of  Application. — It  is  no- 
torious that  many  good  painters  lose  one 
quarter  of  their  time  in  laying  or  smooth- 
ing off  small  parts  of  their  work.  Instead 
of  covering  a  large  surface  as  convenient 
evenly  first,  as  stated  above,  and  then 
smoothing  it,  they  actually,  as  a  necessary 
consequence  of  their  mode  of  working, 
smooth  or  lay  off  their  work  many  times 
over,  because  if  they  paint  one  board,  for 
instance,  and  smooth  it  off,  as  I  have  seen 
many  continually  do,  in  covering  the  next 
board  they  rough  up  the  paint  on  the  first, 
which  has  to  be  smoothed  again.  And  so 
they  do  their  work  over  and  over,  and 
make  less  headway  than  would  one  who 


6 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 


understood  the  economy  of  the  method  of 
applying  paint.  I  mention  this  because  I 
have  suffered  losses  on  contract  painting 
from  this  cause,  and  because  it  is  proper 
that  journeymen  should  be  reminded  of 
these  things,  and  also  that  all  men  employ- 
ing workmen  should  be  able  to  judge  of 
their  work. 

Laps. — Laps  are  the  joinings  of  two 
applications,  or  the  edges  of  the  stretch 
coming  together  and  forming  two  coats 
wherever  the  lap  is  made.  They  should  be 
avoided,  because  they  present  a  very  great 
disfigurement  to  the  eye,  and  will  remain 
a  long  time,  even  showing  after  the  build- 
ing is  several  times  painted.  It  is  best  to 
prime  but  a  few  boards,  or  a  narrow  space 
across  the  building,  at  a  time,  or,  if  work- 
ing on  ladders  and  not  being  easy  to  move 
often,  by  care  in  rubbing  out  properly  at 
the  edges  the  lap  may  be  avoided.  In  the 
joining  of  two  stretches,  much  care  and 
skill  is  required,  or  defects  will  show  when 
the  paint  is  dry  which  did  not  appear  at 
the  time  of  applying  it.    The  brush  must 


THE  AUT  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 


7 


be  drawn  straight  and  even,  and  lifted 
gradually  and  finely  as  it  reaches  the  ex- 
tent of  the  stretch,  or  the  place  of  joining. 
This  is,  however,  more  particular  in  sec- 
ond coating,  or  in  finishing. 

Brushing. — Priming  should  be  rubbed 
out  considerably,  not  flowed  on  loosely,  as 
it  will  blister  and  run.  The  brush  should 
work  easy,  at  the  same  time  a  pressure  be 
exerted  as  if  to  rub  the  paint  into  the 
wood.  The  only  exception  to  this  latter 
rule  is  in  priming  over  spots  which  are 
very  open  and  discolored  ;  then  the  painter 
should  lay  on  more  paint  and  rub  it  out 
less ;  because  such  spots  cannot  be 
touched  up  after  the  work  is  second- 
coated  or  finished  without  a  positive  dis- 
figurement, particularly  on  all  colors  ex- 
cept white. 

Coloring  Materials. — The  best  color- 
ing, in  mixing  paint  for  priming,  or  for  any 
other  painting,  is  pure,  dry  French  ochre, 
Spanish  brown,  Venetian  red,  and  lamp- 
black ;  with  these  almost  any  desired  color 
can  be  made  with  white  lead  or  zinc.  Urn- 


8 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 


ber,  terra  sienna,  Indian  red,  etc.,  are  some- 
times used,  but  they  are  more  expensive 
than  durable  ;  although  a  richer  color  may 
be  obtained  with  them,  yet  in  ordinary 
house-painting  the  richness  is  scarcely  dis- 
tinguishable from  work  done  with  the  first- 
named  ingredients,  and,  besides,  it  is  not 
by  any  means  so  durable.  The  colors 
should  first  be  broken  or  mixed  up  each 
by  itself,  and  added  to  the  principal  in- 
gredient in  such  proportions  as  will  pro- 
duce the  color  desired.  First  make  a  trial 
with  a  very  small  quantity,  in  order  to  get 
at  the  color  wanted,  as  well  as  to  estimate 
the  proportion  of  each  color  to  make  it. 

Pure  Paints. — The  colors  are  better 
for  being  ground  in  a  paint-mill.  They 
can  be  bought  already  ground,  but  there 
is  a  great  deal  of  adulteration  in  the  manu- 
facture of  such  paints,  there  being  only  a 
few  in  the  business  who  can  be  relied  upon 
to  furnish  them  perfectly  pure  ;  and  as  the 
prevailing  fashion  of  tints  in  house-paint- 
ing is  such  as  to  require  the  principal  in- 
gredient to  be  of  such  coloring,  it  is  es- 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  9 


sential  that  they  should  be  pure,  or  the 
work  will  not  endure,  but  fade  and  dis- 
color very  quickly.  The  advantage  of  the 
best  and  purest  materials  for  painting  is 
not  only  in  its  durability,  but  also  in  its 
economy.  The  highest  price  and  the  best 
article  is  the  cheapest  to  the  painter  and 
his  employer  in  all  cases. 

Zinc  Paint. — White  lead,  however,  I 
should  recommend  as  the  foundation  and 
principle  of  all  exterior  painting,  having 
found,  by  twenty  years'  experience  in 
country  and  town  work,  that  it  is  the  best. 

System. — In  the  application  of  paint  in 
priming,  as  well  as  finishing,  it  is  essential 
that  the  workman  should  observe  a  system 
in  order  to  accomplish  as  much  work  as 
possible  in  a  given  time  with  the  usual 
amount  of  labor.  Some  men  will  work 
very  hard  without  a  system,  and  do  a 
small  day' s  work ;  others  work  easily 
along,  systematically,  and  do  a  much 
greater  quantity  of  work,  and  do  it  well. 
In  painting  fences,  railings,  lattices,  or 
blinds,  and  other  similar  work,  a  system 


10  THE   ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 


is  absolutely  necessary.  A  lialf-houi's  ex- 
perience of  the  workman  will  teach  liim 
the  proper  mode  on  most  of  such  work  ; 
but  on  blinds  and  picket  or  baluster  fence 
a  few  directions  may  not  be  out  of  place 
here. 

Blinds. — Lay  the  blind  on  trestles  or  on 
two  barrels,  with  the  stick  or  inside  up. 
Paint  all  that  can  be  painted  from  this  side 
by  turning  the  slats  to  and  fro,  but  not 
necessarily  reaching  tire  brush  through  to 
cover  all  the  slat.  Paint  the  edges  of  the 
blind,  and  then  smooth  off  only  the  stiles 
and  stick  ;  then  turn  over  and  cover  what 
remains  of  the  slats  and  stiles.  See  that 
the  inside  edges  are  covered  by  running 
the  brush  in  between  the  slats,  also  the 
ends  of  the  slats  both  before  and  after 
turning,  as* well  also  as  the  edges  of  the 
slats ;  thus  the  blind  will  be  covered. 
Now  proceed  to  smooth  off  by  reaching 
the  brush  carefully  through  to  the  lower 
edge  of  the  slat  and  drawing  it  evenly  from 
end  to  end ;  first  taking  one  side  of  the 
slats,  then  turning  them  down,  holding 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAIXTING. 


11 


them  a  little  open  and  smoothing  off  the 
other  side  ;  then  smooth  off  the  stiles,  and 
the  blind  is  done.  Stand  it  up  with  the 
inside  out,  in  order  to  touch  up  where  it 
rested  on  the  trestles. 

Fences. — First  paint  the  edges  both  of 
the  pickets  or  balusters  and  the  rails,  as 
well  as  the  edges  of  the  ribbon-strips  and 
bottom-board,  from  the  outside  for  six  or 
seven  feet.  Thus  the  paint  which  gets  on 
the  faces,  in  doing  the  edges,  is  so  much 
gain,  and  the  piece  of  fence  so  begun  is 
;more  than  half  done,  and  the  faces  may 
then  be  cohered  and  smoothed  off  by  one 
^stroke  of  the  brush.  The  inside  should 
be  done  last,  with  the  posts.  No  piece  of 
fence  should  be  left  unfinished  over-ni^ht, 
as  the  runs  will  dry  and  look  bad  Avhen 
completed. 

Lattices.  —  Take  a  large  half  -  worn 
i  brush,  fill  it  full  of  paint,  and  lodge  it  on 
j  the  work  over  as  much  space  as  the  brush- 
ful  will  cover ;  then  briskly  rub  it  out 
over  the  same,  covering  the  outside  edges, 
and  if  the  inside  cannot  be  done,  cover  the 


12  THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 

,  inside  edges  by  running  the  brush  through. 
If  the  inside  is  to  be  done,  leave  the  out- 
side without  smoothing  off  until  the  inside 
is  done  the  same  as  the  outside ;  then 
smooth  off  first  the  inside  and  then  the 
outside. 

Advantages  of  System:. — System  is 
essential  in  all  work,  and  in  every  part. 
There  is  a  certain  place  to  begin,  and  a 
place  to  finish.  On  doors,  architraves, 
panels,  cornices,  etc.,  the  mouldings,  beads, 
and  edges  are  first  to  be  filled  and  covered  ; 
next,  the  stiles  and  surrounding  work  over 
a  considerable  surface,  say  the  whole  side 
of  a  door  or  architrave,  without  laying  off 
until  well  covered.  In  painting  first  the 
mouldings,  etc.,  the  other  parts  get  nearly 
half  covered ;  and  if  this  system  is  well 
and  continually  carried  out,  as  all  good 
workmen  do,  the  result  is  rapid  and  good 
work.  A  systematic  workman  will  also 
complete  his  work  as  he  goes  along,  and 
not  paint  a  patch  here  and  a  patch  there, 
as  if  he  had  no  particular  design. 

Drying  Oil.— Sometimes  it  is  necessary 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  13 

to  prime  window-frames  and  doors  before 
they  are  set  in  the  building,  and  in  some 
cases  the  paint  is  required  to  be  dry  soon, 
that  they  may  be  handled  by  the  carpen- 
ters or  masons.  In  such  cases,  the  priming 
should  be  mixed  with  boiled  oil  and  raw, 
in  equal  proportions,  with  a  little  turpen- 
tine. In  any  other  case  where  the  prim- 
ing is  required  to  dry  quickly,  the  paint 
may  be  mixed  in  the  same  manner. 

Dry  Wood. — There  is  no  particular  ad- 
vantage gained  in  priming  directly  after 
the  carpenters — that  is,  priming  as  fast  as 
the  work  is  put  up,  unless  it  might  be  in 
very  hot  weather.  It  is  best  to  let  the 
work  season  or  dry  out  free  from  all  damp- 
ness ;  and  let  it  check  and  shrink  if  it  will, 
so  that  some  of  the  paint  may  be  absorbed 
in  the  surface,  and  the  checks  and  joints 
puttied  up,  so  that  they  will  not  appeal* 
after  the  work  has  been  finished,  and  thus 
render  it  necessary  to  putty  and  touch  up 
again,  to  the  injury  of  the  work  as  regards 
its  looks.  In  priming  up  to  the  carpen- 
ters, the  work  is  liable  to  get  full  of  saw- 


14  THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 

dust  and  be  otherwise  disfigured  ;  besides, 
the  painter  will  necessarily  lose  much  time 
in  waiting  and  in  not  having  a  straight- 
forward job  to  keep  him  for  any  particular 
portion  of  a  day.  If  a  small  house,  it  is 
better  that  the  carpenter  were  entirely 
finished  and  away,  as  regards  the  outside  ; 
then  the  priming  can  be  done  quickly  and 
cleanly.  On  a  large  house,  it  is  economy 
for  all  parties,  as  well  as  for  the  good  of 
the  work,  for  the  painter  to  have  two  or 
three  days'  work  ahead  of  him  until  the 
priming  is  completed.  Some  may  say 
that  wood  should  be  primed  as  soon  as 
put  up  in  a  building — that  is,  outside — to 
prevent  it  from  shrinking  and  checking. 
My  experience  has  proved  abundantly  to 
me,  that  the  wood  will  check  and  shrink 
by  the  action  of  the  sun's  rays  just  as 
much  in  that  case,  and  that  it  is  far  better, 
for  the  durability  of  both  wood  and  paint, 
to  let  it  get  air  and  sun-dried  first.  Fre- 
quent wetting  by  rains  will  not  much,  if 
any,  retard  the  process  of  seasoning.  For 
the  same  reasons,  very  little,  if  any,  work 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  15 


should  be  primed  in  the  carpenter-shop. 
In  our  day,  there  is  little  lumber  that  is 
well  seasoned  ;  and  however  well  seasoned 
it  may  be,  all  builders  know  that  it  is  still 
liable  to  shrink  and  check.  The  manner 
in  which  lumber  for  outside  work  is  gener- 
ally kept  is  not  such  as  to  render  it  very 
dry  for  use. 

In  finishing  outside  work,  use  white- 
lead  and  good  French  zinc  in  equal  parts  ; 
or  for  white  finish,  zinc  alone. 

OUTSIDE  PAINTING. 

Drying. — In  summer,  priming  coats 
will  be  sufficiently  dry  for  second  coating 
in  two  or  three  days  ;  but  in  winter,  a  week 
at  least  is  required  to  dry  it  hard  enough 
to  apply  another  coat. 

Best  Time  to  Paint. — As  finishing 
coats  will  not  dry  readily  in  winter  if 
mixed  with  good  oil  and  without  much 
turpentine,  though  with  plenty  of  drier,  I 
would  advise  that  it  be  left  over  January, 
February,  and  March.  In  all  other  months, 
my  experience  has  determined  that  it  is 


16  THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  . 

safe  to  apply  finishing  coats  ;  but  the  best 
months  for  outside  finishing  and  painting 
are  September,  October,  and  November. 
In  our  latitude,  it  frequently  occurs  that 
December  is  a  very  good  month  for  it. 

Painting  well  done  with  proper  material, 
in  those  months,  will  endure  longer  than  if 
done  in  any  other  ;  because  the  coats  will 
have  all  the  winter  to  harden  without 
being  subject  to  the  heat  of  the  sun  and 
the  warm  showers  of  summer,  which  wear 
and  injure  paint  more  than  any  thing  else. 
Although  convinced  of  the  above  fact,  yet 
the  difference  in  durability  of  good  paint, 
well  applied  in  any  summer  month,  is,  as 
far  as  I  have  been  able  to  investigate,  not 
of  sufficient  importance  to  cause  a  delay 
in  finishing  work  as  soon  as  it  is  fully 
completed  for  painting. 

Nail-Holes,  etc. — Previous  to  apply- 
ing the  second  coat,  the  nail-holps,  joints, 
and  checks  should  be  well  puttied  with 
putty  colored,  if  the  work  is  to  be  finished 
with  this  coat,  of  any  fancy  color  ;  but  if 
the  third  coat  is  to  be  put  on,  then  the 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  17 


putty  may  be  as  made,  only  a  little  hard- 
ened with  whiting  in  either  case — presum- 
ing that  the  putty  is  soft  as  for  glazing, 
in  which  state  it  should  generally  be  kept 
for  sale  or  use.  Most  painters  nowadays 
putty  before  priming  ;  this  is  just  as  well 
for  ordinary  work  or  for  white  work  ;  but 
in  the  best  buildings,  and  where  fancy 
colors  are  to  be  employed,  it  is  best  to 
prime  first,  on  account  of  the  tendency  of 
such  colors  to  absorb  heat  from  the  sun 
and  open  the  joints  and  checks,  if  any  ; 
and  as  well  to  prevent  the  necessity  of 
puttying  over  twice,  which  is  frequently 
apt  to  occur  if  puttied  before  priming. 

Sand-papering  and  Cleaning. — Sand- 
papering the  work  before  painting  is  req- 
uisite, particularly  the  rough  places,  in 
order  to  make  it  smooth  and  cleanly  when 
done.  The  dust  should  be  cleaned  from 
the  work  and  swept  some  distance  away, 
so  that  any  little  gust  of  wind  should  not 
blow  it  in  the  paint.  In  windy  weather, 
sprinkling,  when  there  is  plenty  of  water 
on  hand,  is  very  serviceable.    In  painting 


18 


THE  ART  OF  1I0USE-P  AIXTIXG. 


a  nice  front  in  a  village  where  the  roads 
are  most  dusty,  and  the  wind  is  apt  to 
send  the  dust  directly  into  the  paint  from 
every  wagon  that  passes,  it  would  be  well 
to  employ  the  village  sprinkling-cart,  asit 
often  happens  that  there  is  one  in  use  ;  or 
a  little  expense  in  wetting  the  road  in  front 
of  the  premises  will  not  be  thrown  away 
if  no  such  convenience  is  to  be  found. 
Painters  may  say  that  this  is  a  little  too 
nice,  ki  too  particular  but  I  have  always 
found  my  account  in  it,  not  so  much  for  the 
"pay  "  as  the  satisfaction  of  having  a  job 
done  as  well  as  possible.  It  is  very  sel- 
dom, however,  that  this  sprinkling  opera- 
tion is  necessary,  though  workmen  cannot 
be  too  particular  in  dusting  and  cleaning 
their  work  generally. 

Consistency,  Stratntkg,  etc. — The 
paint  for  second  coating  or  for  finishing 
should  be  thicker  than  for  priming,  and 
should  be  strained.  The  best  strainers 
are  of  tin,  made  somewhat  like  a  wash- 
basin, with  the  bottom  of  manufactured 
perforated  tin,  which  can  be  procured  of 


THE  ART  OP   IIOUSE-PAINTIXG.  ID 

different  grades  of  fineness  for  the  pur- 
pose. 

Application,  Rains,  Dews,  etc. — 
More  care  is  required  in  applying  these 
coats  than  in  priming  ;  otherwise  the  same 
directions  may  be  followed  generally ; 
and,  to  save  a  repetition,  I  refer  to  those 
respecting  priming  on  pages  2,  3,  4,  and  5. 
More  drier  is  also  required  in  finishing, 
because  there  is  less  absorption  of  paint 
in  the  wood,  and  more  danger  of  injury 
by  sudden  showers  or  storms.  Sometimes 
a  heavy  dew  will  injure  fresh  paint  if  not 
set ;  therefore,  in  painting  in  such  places 
on  a  building  as  the  dew  is  likely  to  hurt, 
it  is  prudent  to  do  it  only  in  the  fore-part 
of  the  day  whenever  it  maybe  convenient, 
according  to  the  extent  of  the  job,  etc.  ; 
for  instance,  always  begin  to  paint  a 
piazza-floor,  a  roof,  or  any  thing  similarly 
exposed,  in  the  morning,  and  commence 
at  that  place  which  gets  the  least  sun 
upon  it.  This  is  a  very  important  rule, 
and  I  have  seen  much  damage  which 
could  never  be  repaired  result  from  its 


20 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAIXTJNG. 


neglect,  by  rains  and  dews  falling  in  the 
night  upon  that  part  which  was  last  done 
and  which  had  no  sun  upon  it  all  day ; 
whereas,  if  the  painting  had  progressed 
round  with  the  sun,  it  is  almost  certain 
that  all  would  have  been  set,  and  thus 
free  from,  danger  of  being  spoiled. 

Squaring. — Every  part  or  portion  of  a 
building  must  be  finished,  or,  as  the  term 
is,  "  squared,"  on  the  same  day  that  it  is 
commenced  ;  for  if  it  is  left  not  squared 
over-night,  or  even  for  one  hour,  wrhile 
taking  dinner,  as  it  may  occur  in  warm 
weather,  it  wall  show  very  bad  laps,  which 
it  is  difficult  if  not  impossible  to  remedy. 

Reference  may  be  made  again  to  pages 

6  and  7,  where  laps  are  particularly  de- 
scribed, and  how  to  avoid  them.  The 
same  directions  will  apply  here,  though 
it  is  easier  to  avoid  them  in  the  last  coats. 

Mixixg. — Directions  for  mixing  and  col- 
oring paint  will  be  found  on  pages  2  and 

7  ;  those  directions  apply  equally  to  finish- 
ing as  to  priming — the  use  of  turpen- 
tine, oils,  and  driers  also  included ;  only 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  21 


it  must  be  remembered  that  the  paint 
must  be  a  little  thicker,  as  before  men^ 
tioned. 

If  a  third  coat  is  intended,  it  is  absolute- 
ly necessary  to  mix  the  second  coating 
with  a  good  proportion  of  turpentine  :  in 
summer,  it  should  be  about  one  third  ;  in 
winter,  one  half.  Ill  repainting  old  work, 
sometimes  more  than  this  proportion  may 
be  used. 

Flashing. — The  object  of  this  use  of  tur- 
pentine in  the  second  coat  when  a  third  is 
intended,  and  only  in  such  a  case,  is  to 
prevent  what  is  called  "  flashing,"  or  a 
deadening  of  the  intended  gloss  of  the  third 
coat,  which  totally  spoils  the  looks  of  the 
work  for  a  long  time,  though  it  does  not 
materially  injure  the  paint  or  render  it 
less  durable.  The  last  coat  should  be  mixed 
with  raw  linseed-oil  alone. 

Blinds,  etc. — The  same  directions  given 
for  painting  blinds,  fences,  lattices,  etc.,  on 
pages  10  and  11  will  be  observed  here  ;  as 
well  as  other  directions  elsewhere  in  re- 
gard to  minting  on  buildings. 


22  THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 

Or  Greens. — Green  paints  require  to  be 
ground  very  fine  in  a  good  mill ;  they 
must  be  ground  in  raw  linseed-oil  only, 
and  as  thick  as  possible,  and  kept  in  closed 
vessels.  In  using,  they  require  more  care- 
fulness of  the  workman  than  the  common 
paints.  On  blinds  and  lattices,  green  should 
be  rubbed  out  well  so  as  not  to  run  or  drip, 
and  ought  never  to  be  mixed  with  white 
lead  or  other  paint  where  a  good  green  is 
desired.  To  mix  a  bronze  green,  add  a 
little  umber  ground  in  oil,  or  simple  black, 
also  ground.  Bronze  color  may  be  varied 
by  the  addition  of  ochre,  lead,  or  other 
colors.  A  rich  dark  bronze  can  be  made 
by  the  addition  of  Prussian  blue  ground 
in  oil. 

Where  a  very  light  green  is  wanted,  and 
where  it  will  not  be  exposed  to  the 
weather,  then  white  lead  or  zinc  may  be 
used  with  it. 

Paris  or  French  green  is  very  difficult  to 
use  ;  it  should  be  mixed,  for  the  first  two 
coats,  with  one  third  turpentine  and  two 
thirds  boiled  linseed-oil,  and  in  applying 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  23 

should  be  rubbed  out  harder  than  any 
other  paint,  as  it  is  more  liable  to  drip  or 
run. 

Three  coats  of  it  are  necessary  to  a  good 
finish,  as  it  is  a  very  transparent  paint, 
without  body  and  consequently  will  not 
cover  well ;  the  third  coat  must  be  all  oil — 
that  is,  mixed  with  oil  alone,  boiled  and 
raw.  Priming  for  Paris  green  finish  must 
be  a  light  green. 

Crawling. — Painters  sometimes  expe- 
rience a  difficulty  called  "crawling,"  par- 
ticularly in  winter  months,  in  coating  over 
a  cold  and  glossy  surface.  It  is  a  tendency 
of  the  paint  to  shrink  or  run  away  in  all 
directions,  leaving  numerous  little  round 
openings  through  to  the  old  coat,  which, 
if  left  to  dry  in  that  condition,  presents  a 
very  great  disfiguration  of  the  work.  To 
avoid  this,  a  slight  rubbing  with  a  cloth 
or  the  hand  will  sometimes  do  ;  but  gener- 
ally it  is  effected  by  hard  rubbing  with  the 
brush.  To  guard  against  it,  the  same  pre- 
cautions to  prevent  flashing  may  be  resort- 
ed to — that  is,  the  use  of  plenty  of  turpen- 


24 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PA1XTIXG. 


tine  in  tlie  previous  coat ;  wliicli  is  another 
case  where  it  may  be  freely  employed  in 
mixing  paint.  In  fact,  turpentine  in  con- 
siderable quantities  may  be  used  in  many 
parts  of  outside  work,  such  as  ceilings, 
under  portions  of  cornices,  and  such  like 
places,  but  should  not  be  put  in  paint 
designed  for  parts  that  are  exposed  to  the 
sun  or  weather. 

Brick-work. — In  the  painting  of  brick- 
work, the  same  general  rules  and  direc- 
tions are  to  be  observed.  Bricks,  however, 
absorb  more  paint  in  the  first  and  second 
coats  than  wood,  and,  in  finishing,  more 
care  is  required  to  prevent  laps  and  runs. 
The  practice  of  oiling  brick  buildings  with 
linseed-oil  by  means  of  a  sponge  or  a 
brush,  is  good  if  plenty  of  oil  is  absorbed 
in  the  surface,  as  it  has  a  tendency  to  shed 
the  rain  and  dews  ;  but  painting  is  prefer- 
able for  the  same  end,  even  if  few  coats 
are  applied,  as  it  fills  the  pores  of  the 
brick. 

Sanding  and  Sandeks.  —  Sanding, 
which  is  generally  done  for  the  purpose  of 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  25 

imitation  of  stone  of  various  colors,  is  a 
matter  of  great  utility  and  beauty  in  house- 
painting.  If  well  done,  it  will  last  many 
years,  and  need  not  be  repainted  except  to 
freshen  the  color  or  change  it,  or  for  the 
purpose  of  cleaning  off  the  stains  from  dust 
which  may  accumulate.  The  sand  should 
be  not  of  the  finest  nor  the  coarsest ;  well 
dried,  and  sifted  into  the  third  coat,  if  a 
new  building,  with  a  sander  ;  the  best  are 
made  like  a  grocer' s  scoop,  with  the  bev- 
elled part  of  perforated  tin,  the  holes  about 
one  sixteenth  part  of  an  inch  in  size,  and 
should  be  made  so  as  to  contain,  when  full, 
about  four  pounds  of  sand.  They  are 
filled  through  the  handle,  which  is  stopped 
with  a  plug  or  cork  while  using.  Consid- 
erable skill  is  required  to  perform  this 
part  of  the  work,  which  can  be  readily 
acquired  by  a  little  practice  in  the  use 
of  the  sander.  Machines  have  been  used 
for  sanding  to  a  good  advantage,  but  I 
prefer  the  more  laborious  mode  of  the 
sander,  as  I  think  the  work  will  be  better 
done  by  it,  besides  the  machines  are  very 


23  THE   ART  OF  HOTJSE-PAINTIXG. 

inconvenient  for  much  of  the  work  gen- 
erally sanded. 

The  paint  into  which  the  sand  is  to  be 
sifted  should  be  mixed  with  nearly  all  oil, 
and  put  on  as  carefully  as  if  for  finishing- 
coats,  and  the  sand  must  be  applied  while 
it  is  fresh  and  sifted  against  the  surface  as 
long  as  any  appearance  of  the  oil  remains. 
The  workman  should  examine  carefully  for 
any  greasy  spots,  and  dash  on  the  sand 
again  before  allowing  the  paint  to  dry 
or  set,  even.  Care  must  be  observed  to 
keep  the  painting  stretch,  or  the  edge, 
always  beyond  or  out  of  the  way  of  the 
dashing  or  falling  of  the  sand,  for  if  the 
brush  comes  in  contact  with  the  sanded 
part,  the  work  will  be  unavoidably  dis- 
figured or  spoiled. 

Once  sanding  is  seldom  sufficient  for  a 
good  solid  look  of  the  work;  a  second 
sanding  in  the  same  manner,  after  the  first 
is  thoroughly  dry,  is  more  easily  accom- 
plished, though  the  application  of  the 
paint  is  more  difficult.  For  the  second 
sanding,  the  paint  should  be  a  little  thinner 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 


27 


than  for  the  first.  These  directions  apply 
as  well  for  wood  as  for  brick-work. 

Lining.  —  Lining  in  imitation  of  brick  is 
done  with  white,  by  means  of  flat  brushes 
made  expressly  for  that  purpose,  called 
' '  trenches 9 9  or  "  liners. ' '  Where  the  joints 
are  even  and  smooth,  the  lining  may  be 
done  by  an  experienced  workman  with- 
out a  straight-edge  or  rule  ;  but  for  rough 
work,  those  aids  are  quite  necessary.  Lin- 
ing in  imitation  of  stone  is  done  in  the  same 
manner  with  sometimes  white,  at  others  of 
various  colors,  according  to  taste,  etc.  The 
size  of  the  block  represented  varies  also 
according  to  the  taste  or  general  design. 
Small  buildings  or  small  portions  of  the 
same  should  be  lined  to  represent  small 
blocks,  say  from  ten  to  twelve  inches  wide 
and  from  twenty-five  to  thirty-five  inches 
in  length.  If  the  building  or  space  be 
larger,  the  blocks  may  be  increased  in 
size  ;  but  the  smaller  will  answer  for  most 
work.  In  lining,  great  care  is  needed  to 
avoid  the  slipping  of  the  brush  from  the 
direct  course,  as  in  remedying  such  slips^ 


28  THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-rAINTING. 

the  spots  will  unavoidably  remain  and 
look  bad  for  some  time.  In  lining  on 
sanded  work,  the  lines  should  first  be  laid 
out  by  chalk-line  or  lead-pencil  and  a  rule ; 
then  the  lines  should  be  first  traced  with  a 
dull  instrument  of  iron  or  steel,  to  remove 
or  flatten  the  sand  ;  then  the  color  may  be 
put  in  the  line  thus  made,  by  the  liner,  or 
a  flat  brush  called  a  u  Fitch,"  and  should 
be  done  with  a  careful  hand  to  prevent 
slips,  which  in  this  case  are  more  difficult 
to  remedy  than  in  plain  work. 

Blocking  ok  Shading  iint  Imitation 
of  a  Stone. — Sometimes  an  imitation  of 
stone  of  various  colors  or  shades  of  color 
is  required.  This  is  done  by  first  lining 
with  the  lead-pencil,  and  then  painting  the 
blocks  different  shades.  Three  shades  or 
colors  are  generally  used,  and  they  should 
be  put  on  in  regular  succession  and  system, 
for  if  no  system  is  observed  in  coloring, 
the  job  will  not  look  well ;  but  with  it  the 
work  has  a  very  pleasing  effect  on  the  eye,  • 
though  the  system  does  not  appear  unless 
it  is  observed  very  closely  by  a  spectator. 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  29 


It  is  a  good  plan  to  number  the  colors  on 
the  pots  or  kegs,  and  the  blocks  designed 
to  receive  each,  as  it  prevents  mistakes, 
which  are  likely  to  occur  on  this  kind  of 
work.  Blocking  may  be  left  plain  or 
sanded,  as  any  other  kind  of  work  ;  but  if 
sanded,  it  will  last  much  longer — in  fact, 
sanded  work,  as  before  stated,  will  last 
many  years  ;  painters  frequently  say,  with- 
out much  exaggeration,  that  it  lasts  '  6  for- 
ever." Blocking  is  sometimes  made  to 
represent  veined  stone,  or  clouded — such 
as  blue  granite  with  veins  of  quartz,  or 
brown  stone  with  dark  or  light  shades — ■ 
and  requires  some  artistic  skill  to  accom- 
plish, both  as  regards  the  colors  or  shades 
to  be  used,  and  in  applying  them.  The 
veining  or  shading  should  be  put  in  the 
blocks  while  the  paint  is  yet  wet,  particu- 
larly if  the  work  is  to  be  sanded  ;  in  any 
case,  they  will  blend  in  better  and  present 
a  more  natural  appearance ;  though  in 
sanded  work  the  shading  colors  should  be 
more  definite,  more  distinct,  and  blended 


30  THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 

in  a  little  less  than  for  work  to  be  left 
without  the  sand. 

Tin  and  Iron  Work. — Tin  and  iron 
work  never  require  more  than  two  coats, 
as  there  is  no  absorption  ;  it  should  not  be 
put  on  as  thick  as  on  wood  or  brick,  but 
should  be  applied  as  carefully  and  rubbed 
out  more,  because  it  is  more  apt  to  blister 
if  put  on  thick.  One  coat  well  applied, 
and  mixed  a  little  thicker  than  for  two,  is 
very  frequently  sufficient"  for  old  iron  or 
tin  work  if  the  old  paint  is  not  very  much 
worn  ;  and  the  same  may  be  said  in  regard 
to  wood  or  brick  work,  under  like  circum- 
stances ;  but  it  is  well  to  understand  that 
the  paint  must  be  mixed  particularly  to 
be  used  as  a  priming  or  as  a  finishing- 
coat  ;  though  there  may  be  portions  of 
the  work  that  will  take  a  second  or  finish- 
ing coat  after  the  one  coat  is  dry,  and 
which  may  not  look  as  well  as  other 
portions.  New  iron-work  should,  first 
of  all,  receive  a  good  priming  of  pure 
red-lead  without  adulteration,  mixed  with 
two  thirds  boiled  linseed-oil  and  one  third 


THE  ART  OF  IIOUSE-PAINTIXG.  31 

turpentine.  This  coating  will  effectually 
prevent  the  rusting  of  the  metal,  if  well 
put  on.  I  have  heard  that  some  other 
" mineral"  paints  would  accomplish  the 
same,  but  I  have  never  been  willing  to 
risk  the  trial. 

Stopping. — Long  joints  in  ceilings,  floors 
and  other  places,  if  to  be  puttied,  should 
flrst  have  some  paint  put  into  them  in 
priming,  and  then  when  dry  filled  up 
even  and  tight ;  if  the  putty  should  fall 
through  the  joint  or  crack,  it  can  be 
stopped  by  first  cutting  or  ragging  the 
inner  edge  with  the  knife. 

Tacking. — In  painting  stoop  and  piazza 
floors,  it  frequently  happens  that,  in  con- 
sequence of  too  much  oil  being  used  in 
mixing  the  paint,  it  has  a  tendency  to 
"tack,"  or  remain  soft  on  the  surface  for 
a  long  time,  allowing  the  feet,  a  chair,  or 
a  mat  to  stick  to  it,  and  if  the  floors  are 
much  used  soon  after  painting,  the  work 
will  be  utterly  spoiled.  Sometimes  this  is 
attributable  to  the  adulteration  of  linseed- 
oil,  which  it  is  difficult  for  painters  to 


32  THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 

guard  against,  particularly  in  summer, 
as  some  merchants  will  mix  an  inferior 
oil — fisli-oil  sometimes,  or  rapeseed-oil 
-with  the  pure  linseed,  and  thus  spoil 
it  for  such  work.  Although  I  am  cer- 
tain that  adulterated  oil  will  produce 
this  defect  more  than  good,  yet  I  am  in- 
clined to  attribute  it  more  to  the  heat  of  the 
atmosphere  keeping  the  surface  of  the 
paint  soft.  As  it  is  only  in  the  hottest 
summer  months  that  this  difficulty  oc- 
curs, I  have  therefore  often  recommend- 
ed that  such  floors,  where  much  used, 
should  not  be  finished  in  June,  July,  and 
August. 

Dust  on  Fronts. — From  the  same 
causes,  the  fronts  of  houses  near  dusty 
roads,  are  frequently  covered  with  a  coat 
of  dust,  which  it  is  almost  impossible 
to  wash  off.  Painters  can  easily  detect 
the  adulteration  in  oil,  and  it  is  to  their 
interests  to  buy  only  of  those  merchants 
who  are  respectable  and  sustain  a  reputa- 
tion for  superior  goods,  though  their  prices 
may  be  higher  than  others. 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  33 

Beginning  to  Repaint. — In  commenc- 
ing to  repaint  a  house  of  much  size,  the 
blinds  should  be  marked  or  numbered, 
with  a  corresponding  number  on  the  side 
of  the  window,  of  sufficient  plainness  to 
be  distinguished  through  the  paint,  and 
taken  to  a  convenient  place,  where  they 
may  be  free  from  dust  or  weather,  and 
painted  during  rainy  days,  if  there  hap- 
pens to  be  no  other  inside  work,  so  that 
they  may  be  ready  to  hang  up  again 
when  the  house  is  done.  If  the  blinds  do 
not  require  painting,  they  should  be  re- 
moved for  a  time  from  the  rest  of  the 
work,  as  they  are  apt  to  get  spattered,  and 
also  will  not  be  in  the  way  of  facilitating 
the  other  painting.  Begin  at  the  top  and 
on  the  most  difficult  and  dangerous  part  of 
the  building,  and  work  downward,  and 
square  at  night,  or  on  other  occasions  when 
leaving,  as  mentioned  before.  Never  be- 
gin the  second  coat  or  finishing  until  the 
first  is  complete  on  every  part  of  the  house  *; 
finish  stoop-floors,  however,  as  soon  as 
opportunity  occurs,  and  if,  when  the  finish- 


34  THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 

ing-coatis  completed,  the  blinds  shall  have 
been  finished  and  thoroughly  dry,  they 
have  only  to  be  put  in  their  places,  and  the 
painter  will  have  no  occasion  to  send  a  man 
to  touch  up  and  finish  little  portions  which 
may  have  been  delayed  by  a  neglect  of  a 
straightforward  system.  Thus  with  two  or 
three  workmen,  a  large  house  may  be  thor- 
oughly repainted  on  the  outside  in  a  few 
days,  and  its  occupants  will  scarcely  realize 
that  they  have  been  troubled  by  painters, 
except  in  the  improved  appearance  which 
it  presents. 

Disposition  of  Colors. — In  fancy  col- 
ors, the  trimmings,  such  as  cornices,  frames, 
stiles,  columns,  and  other  projections, 
should  invariably  be  of  the  darker  colors, 
and  all  siding,  clapboards,  filling,  such  as 
panels,  recesses,  and  other  like  surfaces, 
should  be  of  the  light  color.  Window- 
sashes  look  best  of  a  dark  green,  or  an  imi- 
tation of  some  dark  wood,  such  as  dark 
oak,  black-walnut,  or  mahogany. 

Blinds  should  vary  in  color  according  to 
the  style  of  the  architecture.    For  a  Grothk 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  35 

house,  they  ought  to  be  of  a  shade  between 
the  trimming  and  the  body,  and  may  be 
improved  by  having  the  panels  light  and 
stiles  dark.  For  those  of  the  Italian  and 
other  similar  styles,  particularly  when 
highly  ornamental,  or  having  high  towers, 
the  same  colors  must  be  used.  Sometimes 
those  styles  of  building,  particularly  if 
extensive  and  imposing,  look  best  of  one 
color  only ;  it  should  not  be,  however,  a 
very  dark  one,  and  in  that  case  the  blinds 
should  be  of  the  same.  In  some  circum- 
stances, the  Gothic  looks  well  painted  a 
dark  stone  color ;  for  instance,  when  sur- 
rounded with  large  trees,  or  in  a  city  or 
town.  Small  cottage  buildings  of  either 
of  the  above-named  styles,  in  whatever  lo- 
cation or  circumstances,  look  as  well  with 
green  blinds  ;  and  it  is  the  best  color  for 
blinds  of  almost  all  other  styles  of  houses. 
The  green  should  be  kept  as  pure  and 
rich  as  possible  ;  light  for  white  and  light- 
colored  houses,  and  darker  for  houses  of 
a  more  sombre  color.  A  heavy  dark-green 
on  a  white  or  light-colored  house,  I  think, 


36  THE  AKT  OF  HOUSE -PAINTING. 

looks  bad.  At  a  distance,  one  thinks  they 
are  painted  black,  as  if  the  house  were  in 
mourning.  Blinds  painted  any  other  colors 
than  green  or  the  color  of  the  house,  as 
directed  above,  never  have  a  pleasing  effect. 
This  does  not  apply  to  blinds  hung  upon 
the  inside,  which  may  be  painted  any  light 
color. 

The  color  of  out-houses,  such  as  barns, 
coach-houses,  etc.,  and  fences,  should  cor 
respond  generally  with  the  colors  of  the 
main  building.  Some  exceptions  may  be 
made,  however,  as  in  towns  and  villages  ; 
if  the  house  is  white,  the  out-houses  may 
be  of  any  color.  This,  in  most  cases,  may 
be  left  to  the  taste  and  judgment  of  the 
owner  or  the  painter,  being  particular 
always  to  keep  to  uniformity.  Dwelling- 
houses  and  out-houses  of  the  ordinary 
styles  sometimes  look  very  well  trimmed 
with  white  when  the  main  body  is  of  the 
lighter  drabs  or  browns,  and  some  of  the 
more  ornamental  styles  will  look  well  done 
in  the  same  way;  but  this  fashion  is,  of  late 
years,  giving  way  to  the  more  sombre  tints. 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 


37 


In  painting  a  new  building,  or  any  por- 
tions of  it,  or  any  work  designed  to  be 
finished  with  fancy  colors,  time  can  be 
saved  by  priming  all  with  one  color  or 
shade.  Two  shades  must  be  used  in 
priming  when  the  finish  is  designed  to  be 
of  colors  in  which  the  contrast  is  decided — 
that  is,  of  colors  or  shades  which  are  very 
different  from  each  other. 

Saving  of  Time. — Much  time  may  be 
saved  in  priming  buildings  by  making  use 
of  scaffolding  of  the  carpenters  or  masons, 
as  the  work  can  be  done  quicker  and  bet- 
ter, particularly  if  it  is  very  high.  Cor- 
nices, in  that  case,  should  be  finished  from 
the  scaffold  ;  and  in  sanding,  particularly, 
the  advantage  is  great,  as  it  can  be  done  in 
half  the  time,  and  as  not  much  of  the  sand 
gets  in  the  paint,  it  can  be  saved  more 
easily  by  spreading  cloths  for  that  pur- 
pose ;  besides,  it  is  very  difficult  to  do  it 
well  from  ladders. 

Cleet-Spots. — Cleets,  or  pieces  of  board 
or  plank,  nailed  to  the  building  for  the 
purpose  of  securing  the  scaffolding,  should 


38  THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAIXTING. 

be  removed  before  the  priming  gets  dry, 
and  the  spots  thus  left  painted  carefully 
over ;  for  if  the  spots  are  left,  by  leaving 
those  cleets  on  until  the  coat  is  dry,  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  prevent  them  show- 
ing and  presenting  a  great  disfiguration, 
even  after  several  coats  have  been  applied. 
But  it  frequently  happens  that  the  cleets 
must  be  left  ;  in  that  case,  by  great  care 
in  covering,  the  spots  may  be  so  painted 
as  not  to  show  much. 

Ladders. — Good  ladders  are  a  very  es- 
sential means  in  house-painting  to  facili- 
tate the  work  ;  for  with  bad  or  unsafe 
ones,  or  those  of  unsuitable  lengths,  the 
workman  cannot  get  along  very  well. 
They  should  be  made  of  good,  straight, 
clear  spruce  stiles,  and  oak  or  ash  rounds, 
strengthened  with  iron 'rods,  about  three 
to  each  of  the  long  ones,  and  when  not  in 
use  must  be  laid  up  on  trestles  together, 
level  and  straight,  and  should  be  kept 
well  painted  and  wedged  up  in  the  rounds. 

The  workman  should  stand  his  ladder 
as  near  the  work  or  as  straight  against 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  39 

the  building  as  possible  and  consistent 
with  his  safety  upon  it,  so  as  to  be  able  to 
reach  more  work  and  not  have  to  move  it 
so  often.  Always  see  that  the  work  under 
and  near  the  top  of  the  ladder  is  well 
smoothed  or  well  laid  off,  even  if  it  is  nec- 
essary to  move  the  ladder  to  the  right  or 
left  to  do  it,  for  it  cannot  be  well  done  with 
the  ladder  in  the  way.  Much  care  is  re- 
quired in  avoiding  marks  of  the  ladder  ; 
in  this,  a  skilful  handling  is  needed.  If 
the  ground  is  uneven,  blocking  of  boards 
or  any  thing  suitable  may  be  used,  but 
caution  is  essential. 

Ladders  should  never  be  left  standing 
at  the  work  after  the  workmen  have  left, 
unless  secured  by  ropes  or  other  means, 
for  a  sudden  gust  of  wind  may  prostrate 
and  shatter  them,  and  render  them  unsafe 
or  unfit  for  use. 

Fat  Paints. — Paints  mixed  for  outside 
work,  if  allowed  to  stand  for  some  time, 
become  fatty,  and  are  only  fit  to  use  on 
rough  boards,  in  gutters,  or  some  such 
work  ;  for  its  tendency  to  run  and  drip, 


40  THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING, 

on  account  of  the  fatty  nature,  is  such  as 
to  be  incurable,  and  is  sure  to  spoil  any 
good  work  upon  which  it  is  applied.  It 
should  be  used  up  in  four  weeks  at  least. 
Also,  paint  mixed  for  outside  work  should 
never  be  used  inside  ;  there  may  be  ex- 
ceptions, but  it  is  best  to  follow  strictly 
this  rule. 

Roofs. — Roof-painting,  more  especially 
tin  roof,  has  of  late  become  a  very  impor- 
tant consideration. 

There  are  some  of  the  so-called  mineral 
and  metallic  paints  and  other  roof  compo- 
sitions that  are  very  good  ;  but  my  expe- 
rience has  convinced  me  that  there  is  no 
better  paint  for  tin  roof  than  the  common 
Spanish  brown,  Venetian  red,  and  yellow 
ochre,  mixed  with  pure  raw  linseed-oil ; 
or,  what  is  better  than  linseed  alone,  is  a 
mixture  of  equal  portions  of  that  and  a 
good  fish-oil,  which  does  not  dry  hard  and 
render  the  surface  brittle  as  linseed-oil 
does,  but  is  consequently  less  liable  to 
dry  up  or  crack  with  the  ordinary  expan- 
sion and  contraction  of  the  metal  under  it. 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  41 


This  expansion  and  contraction  is  caused 
by  heat  and  cold,  and,  if  the  paint  is 
thick,  hard,  and  brittle,  it  has  a  tendency 
to  break  the  joints  in  the  roofing  even 
where  thickly  or  strongly  soldered,  there- 
by causing  leaks.     If  the  roof-paint  is 
very  dark,  or,  as  may  frequently  be  seen, 
black,  the  effect  of  the  heat  is  increased 
and  felt  in  summer,  not  only  on  the  roof 
and  under  it,  but  over  the  whole  building. 
Therefore  I  would  almost  insist  on  paint- 
ing roofs  a  light  color — say  with  good 
French  ochre,  which  would  look  well  on 
some  kinds  of  buildings,    or  with  zinc 
stained  to  represent  the  color  of  light  slate 
or  sheet  zinc.    Roofs  which  do  not  show 
might  be  painted  white.    Ice-house  roofs, 
by  all  means,  should  be  a  very  light  color, 
if  not  white.  But  most  of  th^  trouble  with 
tin  roofs  originate  from  the  imperfect  or 
unskilful  manner,  or  both,  of  their  join- 
ings with  the  brick  and  wood  work  ;  around 
chimneys  and  in  places  where  the  brick 
or  wood  work  extends  above  the  roof,  the 
tin  has  to  be  let  in,  and  secured  with 


42 


THE  ART  OF  IIOUSE-PAINTIXG. 


wedges  or  nails,  and  is  often  merely  plas- 
tered or  pointed  with  a  cement,  which 
soon  falls  out,  particularly  if  the  wedging 
is  not  well  done,  and  the  consequence  is  a 
flooding  of  the  interior  of  the  house  when- 
ever a  storm  arises.  Buildings  which  have 
much  top-work,  such  as  balustrades, 
blocking  courses,  observatories,  and  such 
like  embellishments,  are  very  apt  to  have 
the  tin  roof-work  perforated  with  nails 
in  places  which  cannot  be  reached  ;  this, 
however,  may  be  only  on  such  buildings 
as  are  put  up  in  a  great  hurry  by  contract 
under  a  ruinous  competition.  The  best 
material  for  jointing  on  tin  roofs,  after  the 
wedging  is  done,  is  paint-skins  boiled  up 
and  ground  or  chopped  fine,  and  mixed 
with  a  little  sand  to  thicken  it  like  ce- 
ment. 

Fish-oil  is  perhaps  the  best  for  all  kinds 
of  roofs,  but  the  difficulty  is  its  drying.  If 
on  tin,  it  gets  the  surface  of  the  paint 
skinned  over  before  a  rain — then  it  is  safe  ; 
but  there  is  danger  of  its  washing  over 
other  parts  of  the  house  and  spoiling  other 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  43 

work.  If  a  roof  is  safely  done  with  paint 
mixed  with  fish-oil  alone,  it  will  last  a 
much  longer  time  than  any  other  paint. 
Shingle-roof,  if  painted  at  all,  should  be 
painted  with  it ;  but  any  kind  on  them 
should  be  applied  much  thinner  than 
paint  for  priming,  for,  if  the  paint  is 
thick,  it  will  hold  in  the  joints  and  dry 
there,  forming  places  to  retain  the  water 
longer  on  the  roof  and  causing  rot. 

Tin  roofs  are  sometimes  striped  with 
two  or  more  colors  or  shades,  but  do  not 
look  very  well  except  on  lightly  con- 
structed veranda  or  such  like  roof. 

Farm  and  Garden  Implements. — 
Farm  and  garden  implements  being  much 
exposed  to  the  weather  are  preserved 
longer  by  being  painted.  Carts,  wagons, 
ploughs,  harrows,  barrows,  etc.,  may  be 
coated  with  the  brown  or  ochre,  as  men- 
tioned for  roof-paint,  and  mixed  with  lin- 
seed-oil, about  the  same  thickness  as  for 
tin  roofs. 

Taste  may  be  displayed  in  painting  the 
bodies  of  wagons  and  carts  a  different 


44 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAIXTIXG. 


color  from  the  other  parts,  and  blacking 
the  iron- work,  etc. 

Zixc  Drier. — As  I  have  recommended 
zinc  paint  for  all  outside  painting,  it  is  as 
well  to  state  in  regard  to  it  that  it  requires 
a  stronger  drier.  A  patent  liquid  drier 
is  manufactured  and  sold  for  zinc,  which, 
if  of  good  quality,  is  very  well  adapted 
for  it.  Although  zinc  needs  more,  or  a 
stronger  drier,  it  is  not  so  liable  to  be 
washed  or  injured  by  rain-  as  the  paints 
mixed  of  white-lead  and  other  materials. 
But  as  it  is  difficult  to  get  driers  strong 
or  good  enough  to  dry  properly  paint 
mixed  with  unboiled  linseed-oil,  particu- 
larly in  cold  weather,  it  is  as  well  to  de- 
pend upon  the  old  method  of  drying  with 
litharge,  which  can  easily  be  procured  of 
good  quality. 

Boiled  Oil  — Boiled  oil  is  used  for  the 
purpose  of  quick  drying  and  a  good  gloss 
by  most  painters,  and  where  those  results 
alone  are  wanted  it  is  undoubtedly  the 
best.  But,  as  durability,  in  my  estima- 
tion, is  far  more  important,  pure  raw  lin- 


THE  ADT  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  45 

seed-oil  is  much  better.  If  the  gloss  is  no 
quite  so  brilliant  when  the  work  is  just 
finished,  it  keeps  its  freshness  and  color  a 
much  longer  time.  I  consider  that  in  boil- 
ing oil,  just  one  half,  if  not  more,  of  its  real 
virtue  as  oil  is  destroyed  ;  I  would  rather  let 
the  sun  and  weather  have  their  own  time  to 
boil  it  after  it  is  on  the  work.  I  have  had 
painting  outside  stand  and  look  well  twice 
as  long  as  others,  and  no  other  cause  can 
be  assigned  for  it  but  the  use  of  the  un- 
boiled oil  in  my  work  ;  and  the  risk  of  in- 
jury by  rain  or  dust  has  certainly  been  no 
more.  Boiled  oil  should  be  used  only  in 
the  case  mentioned  above,  or  for  inside 
work  as  hereafter  directed,  and  machin- 
ery, sign,  ornamental,  and  carriage  paint- 
ing— in  fact,  for  almost  any  kind  but  out- 
side finishing. 

Cheap  Oils. — Of  late  years,  there  is  a 
good  deal  of  cheap  oil  made  and  offered 
for  sale,  and  highly  recommended  for  roof 
and  iron  work,  as  well  as  for  rough  work 
generally  ;  but  as  such  oils  contain  more  or 
less  of  »esm  *md  similar  substances  which 


46  THE  AET  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 

have  a  much,  greater  tendency  to  crack, 
become  brittle,  or  dry  quickly  into  pow« 
der  than  boiled  or  raw  linseed,  I  think 
it  unsafe  to  employ  them  on  any  work. 
They  may,  however,  answer  very  well  for 
old  or  rough  out-liouses,  fences,  and  such 
like  work,  where  durability  is  not  an  es- 
sential requisite. 

Cheap  Patent  Compositions. — There 
are  also  various  recipes  for  composi- 
tions which  cost  a  mere  trifle  and  recom- 
mended as  very  good  and  durable  for 
many  kinds  of  work  ;  but  as  they  are  cer- 
tain to  quickly  impair  or  wash  off  by  the 
action  of  the  weather,  I  balieve  that  they 
are  of  no  real  advantage  or  benefit  to  the 
painter  or  his  employer.  Besides,  some- 
times it  is  almost  impossible  to  paint  over 
them  with  good  paint,  or,  if  possible,  the 
cost  is  rendered  nearly  double.  Any  com- 
position or  mixture  designed  to  cheapen 
the  article  of  paint  never  works,  in  the 
long  run,  to  the  pecuniary  good  of  the 
painter.  The  extra  time  required  to  pre- 
pare and  apply  them,  and  the  general  un- 


THE  ART  OF  HO  USE -PAINTING. 


47 


satisfactory  appearance  and  rapid  deterio- 
ration of  the  work,  as  also  the  extra  quan- 
tity necessary,  and  damage  to  reputation, 
render  it  by  no  means  a  desirable  or 
money-making  business.  Extreme  com- 
petition in  places  where  there  are  many 
painters  sometimes  compels  them  to  use 
various  means  to  under- work  each  other, 
consequently  the  quality  of  the  work 
must  suffer.  Under  such  circumstances, 
it  is  well,  it  is  important,  for  those  requir- 
ing any  kind  of  work  to  be  done,  to  ap- 
preciate those  who  have  the  best  reputa- 
tion, or  indicate,  in  their  dealings  and  in- 
tercourse generally,  the  most  uprightness 
and  the  most  independence  of  such  com- 
petition, which  alone  has  caused  so  much 
distrust  and  suspicion  of  this  very  useful 
profession. 

Sash-Painting. — The  painting  of  win- 
dow and  other  sash,  in  house-painting,  is 
one  of  the  most  difficult  and  important  of 
outside  work  ;  and  on  the  neatness  with 
which  it  is  done  depends,  in  a  great 
measure,  the  beauty  of  the  whole  job.  A 


48  THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 

small  brush,  or  "  sash  tool"  is  used  for  this 
purpose,  and  is  seldom  required  for  any 
other  part  of  ordinary  house-painting, 
and  much  skill,  and  a  little  regard  to  the 
system  before  mentioned,  is  required  to 
make  rapid  headway  in  this  part  of  the 
work,  which  is  considered  quite  tedious  ; 
but  as  the  kind  and  style  of  sash  are  so 
various,  the  workman  must  exercise  his 
ingenuity  aud  judgment  in  regard  to  it, 
rather  than  depend  upon-  any  directions 
which  m&y  be  given.  Where  blinds  are 
closed  most  of  the  time,  one  coat  is  suffi- 
cient, or  if  a  second  coat  is  necessary, 
generally  the  large  parts  only  require  it. 
The  color  for  sash  depends  generally  on 
the  color  of  the  house,  though  the  dark 
colors,  such  as  bronze  green,  or  imitations 
of  some  dark  wood,  such  as  dark  oak  'or 
black- walnut,  may  look  well  on  a  house  of 
any  color  or  style,  and  in  case  they  are 
concealed  mostly  by  the  blinds,  they  can 
be  white. 

Hot-Houses. — In  painting  hot-house  or 
green- house  sashes,  when  new,  care  must 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  49 


be  taken  that  the  wood  is  perfectly  dry,  as 
they  are  liable  to  be  wet  from  heavy  dews 
or  from  the  condensation  of  the  vapor  ris- 
ing inside.  Paint  applied  to  wet  wood 
outside  is  sure  to  peel  or  blister.  Where 
it  is  convenient,  always  finish  the  inside 
of  such  sashes  before  the  glass  is  set,  for 
it  takes  four  times  as  long  to  do  it  after  ; 
and  if  the  glaziers  will  be  a  little  careful, 
they  need  not  injure  the  paint  in  the  least, 
even  where  they  have  to  bed  or  back-putty 
the  lights. 

The  putty  part  of  sashes  should  be  paint- 
ed within  one  week  after  being  exposed  to 
the  weather,  as  a  skin  forms  upon  it  very 
soon,  and  the  paint  will  not  take  so  well, 
and  is  liable  to  peel  off.  Sashes  exposed 
all  the  time  to  the  weather  require  to  be 
kept  well  painted — not  with  very  thick 
paint  however,  as  that  has  a  tendency  to 
crack  and  peel ;  and  they  should  be 
primed  in  the  grooves  made  for  the  glass. 

Glazing. — Glazing  belongs  mostly  in 
our  day  and  country  to  the  sash-maker, 
and  perhaps  it  may  be  as  well  to  omit  any 


50  THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 

reference  to  it  here,  except  the  repairing, 
which  the  painter  generally  has  to  do. 
And  here  let  me  give  a  little  advice  to 
those  who  may  need  to  send  to  the  glazier 
on  a  cold  winter  day,  or  in  summer, 
when  he  may  be  hurried  with  work,  to 
set  a  light  or  lights  of  glass  ;  and  that  is, 
to  measure  with  a  rule  the  exact  width 
and  length  of  each  light,  being  particular 
to  measure  so  as  to  include  the  space 
where  the  putty  lays,  or  the  measure  may 
be  taken  on  the  inside  from  the  narrow 
edge  of  the  bars,  which  is  the  same  on 
most  sash  as  the  space  outside  filled  with 
the  glass  ;  write  the  measure  down  plainly 
so  that  there  may  be  no  mistake,  and  you 
will  save  the  glazier  much  unnecessary 
trouble  and  risk  of  breakage  ;  for,  if  he 
sends  a  boy  to  do  it,  the  chances  are  that 
the  work  will  not  be  well  done,  that  more 
lights  will  be  broken  than  new  ones  set, 
as  no  place  to  cut  them  can  be  found  as 
good  as  the  shop-board  ;  or  the  diamond 
may  be  spoiled  by  an  unskilful  hand,  or 
the  lights  taken  may  all  be  too  small  or 


THE  ART  OF  IIOUSE-PAINTIXG. 


51 


too  large.  So,  under  these  disadvantages, 
and  others,  such  as  distance  and  weather, 
a  man,  or  the  boss  himself,  would  be  like- 
ly to  make  equally  as  bad  a  job,  and  suf- 
fer much  loss  through  not  getting  suffi- 
ciently remunerated,  or  not  having  the 
heart  to  charge  as  much  as  the  job  is 
really  worth.  All  this  difficulty  is  avoided 
by  sending  the  exact  measure  and  number 
of  lights  ;  besides  the  glazier  will  be  more 
ready,  more  prompt,  and  more  reasonable 
in  the  charge. 

The  old  putty  must  be  removed  with  a 
sharp  chisel  or  a  stout  knife,  very  care- 
fully, not  cutting  away  or  splitting  the 
sash.  After  cleaning  out  every  particle  of 
the  old  glass  and  putty,  the  new  light 
should  be  set  in  with  the  bow  or  rounded 
side  out,  and  tinned  in  with  at  least  four 
points  or  more,  according  to  the  size  of  the 
light ;  the  putty  then  may  be  put  on,  tak- 
ing care  that  its  edge  on  the  glass  is  even 
with  the  wood  inside  and  straight  and 
clean  ;  then  clean  oif  with  a  duster  and 
whiting,  or,  if  that  is  not  handy,  a  soft 


52  THE  ART  OF  IIOUSE-PAlNTING. 


cloth  will  do  if  used  carefully  so  as  not  to 
disturb  the  putty.  Nothing  looks  worse 
or  is  a  greater  eyesore  than  a  botched  job 
of  glazing  ;  therefore,  I  have  been  thus 
particular  over  what  many  may  think  a 
matter  of  trifling  importance. 

Blisters. — Bad  blisters  in  the  paint  on 
front  doors,  vestibules,  and  such  like  places 
where  the  sun  concentrates  its  rays  the 
most,  are  caused  by  little  spots  of  pitch  in 
various  parts  of  the  wood-work  being  acted 
upon  by  the  heat,  forming  a  gas,  which 
raises  the  paint.  There  are  several  reme- 
dies for  this  :  one  is,  to  see  that,  in  making 
the  door  or  other  part  so  exposed  to  the  sun, 
the  wood  contains  no  particle  of  the  pitch. 
Sometimes  these  spots  of  pitch  are  very  tine 
and  diffused  throughout  a  whole  plank,  so 
that  ordinary  scrutiny  fails  to  detect  them, 
yet  they  produce  bad  blisters  when  exposed 
to  heat.  Some  plank  contain  no  such 
spots  or  pitchy  grain,  and  such  only  should 
be  used  for  the  work  before  mentioned. 
Such  portions  of  work  generally  get  more 
frequently  paint  3d  ;  and  the  thicker  the 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  53 

paint,  the  more  it  will  blister.  If  an  old 
door,  rubbing  down  to  the  wood  will  not 
remedy  the  evil,  for  the  cause  is  still 
there.  In  that  case,  or  when  it  is  found 
that  there  is  pitch  in  the  wood,  the  other 
remedy  is  to  keep  it  painted  white  or 
light  as  possible,  and  the  coats  as  thin  as 
can  be  put  on.  Doors,  etc.,  on  the  south 
side  of  a  street,  or  in  situations  where 
there  is  but  little  sun,  may  be  made 
of  any  quality  of  wood,  or  painted  any 
color,  or  as  thick  as  it  may  be  put  on,  and 
no  blistering  will  occur.  Coats  of  paint  or 
varnish  may  be,  however,  too  thick  in 
either  case.  There  is  scarcely  any  varnish 
made  that  will  stand  on  a  front  door,  par- 
ticularly if  put  on  thick.  It  is  better,  in 
both  instances,  where  such  work  requires 
repainting  or  varnishing,  to  do  it  often  and 
very  thinly. 

Rubbing  Down. — Rubbing  down,  being 
referred  to  above,  is  often  required  where 
paint  or  varnish  becomes  cracked  or  burn- 
ed by  exposure  ;  it  is  done  by  a  lump  of 
pumice-stone  with  water  and  a  sponge  ; 


54 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 


the  stone  must  be  kept  flat,  even,  and  as 
free  from  paint  as  can  be  by  rubbing  it 
often  on  a  flag  or  file.  Aftei  the  pumice- 
stone,  then  use  sand-paper.  Where  the 
work  is  very  much  cracked  and  rough, 
paint  may  be  used  instead  of  the  water,  by 
first  heavily  coating  the  work,  and  then 
rub  with  the  stone  until  it  is  sufficiently 
level,  then  lay  off  the  paint  as  for  finishing, 
and  sand-paper  it  when  thoroughly  dry. 
Small  pieces  of  pumice-stone  should  be 
used  for  the  moulding  and  corners 

Old  Paint. — Old  paint  maybe  removed 
by  a  solution  of  potash  in  water,  by  ap- 
plying it  with  a  sponge  or  brush,  until  the 
paint  is  softened,  then  peel  it  off  with  the 
putty-knife  or  chisel. 

Smoky  Paint. — Previous  to  painting 
over  smoky  or  greasy  surfaces,  a  weaker 
solution  of  potash  should  be  applied  to 
every  part,  and  left  upon  it  for  twelve 
hours,  and  then  cleaned  off. 

Preparing. — The  work  must  be  clean, 
dry,  and  well  dusted,  and  the  room  swept ; 
then  putty  all  nail-holes,  joints,  checks,  or 


THE  ART  OP  HOUSE-PAINTING.  55 

other  places  which  require  it,  taking  care 
to  leave  nothing  in  this  particular  undone, 
for  the  painter  should  not  leave  his  brush 
after  he  has  once  taken  it  up  to  prime, 
to  putty  the  work  over,  or  do  that  which 
has  been  omitted.  Then  the  knots  and 
pitchy  places  must  be  covered  with  the 
shellac-varnish  ;  and  when  that  is  dry, 
then  the  priming  may  be  applied. 

Shellacing. — All  good  inside  work 
should  have,  previous  to  priming,  a  coat 
of  shellac-varnish,  the  same  as  for  killing 
the  knots,  except  that  it  should  be  reduced 
with  alcohol  one  half,  and  applied  over 
the  whole  work  with  a  flat  or  other  conve- 
nient brush.  This  prevents  the  pitch  and 
sap  in  the  wood  from  showing  through  the 
paint  when  finished.  Without  this  shel- 
lacing, the  white  work  looks  very  bad,  even 
after  being  repainted  several  times  ;  and 
where  zinc-white  is  used,  it  will  bring  out 
the  pitch  much  worse  then  lead.  Work  in- 
tended to  be  grained  does  not  require  it, 
but  it  is  best  to  apply  it,  as  it  makes  the 
work  better. 


66  THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 

Priming. — White-lead  mixed  with  on 
half  boiled  oil  and  one  half  turpentine, 
should  constitute  the  first  coat  of  paint 
on  inside  work.  Driers  may  be  used  in 
cold  weather,  but  in  warm  the  oil  itself 
may  be  sufficient.  It  is  essential  to  get  on 
as  thick  a  coat  as  possible,  therefore  lead 
is  preferable  to  zinc,  as  it  has  more  body 
and  covers  the  grain  of  the  wood  or  the 
shellac  better.  It  should  be  thin  enough  to 
work  easily  under  the  brush,  though  not 
without  somewhat  more  rubbing  or  bear- 
ing on  than  for  outside.  If  it  is  not  rub- 
bed out  well  in  applying,  it  is  apt  to  drip, 
and  collect  in  the  corners  and  mouldings. 
The  paint  should  be  well  strained  before 
using. 

Wet  Wood. — Dampness  from  wet  walls 
or  other  cause  must  be  removed  from  the 
wood  before  priming.  In  new  houses,  the 
work  is  frequently  covered  with  wet  from 
the  condensation  of  moisture  from  new 
walls  upon  it,  and  should  not  be  painted 
in  that  state,  but  means  taken  to  dry  it 
first.    If  to  dry  it  by  fires  in  the  rooms 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  57 

might  be  too  expensive,  the  windows  may 
be  opened  throughout  the  building  during 
the  warmest  part  of  each  day  when  the 
sun  is  out,  which  would  effect  the  object, 
though  perhaps  not  so  quickly.  Rooms 
finished  in  a  hurry,  regardless  of  these 
necessary  rules,  on  account  of  their  being 
immediately  wanted,  are  very  dangerous 
places  to  live  in  as  regards  health,  and  the 
paint  is  generally  blamed  for  much  mis- 
chief done  in  that  respect,  of  which  it  is 
entirely  innocent  ;  besides,  the  work  is,  if 
not  spoiled,  stained  and  discolored  so  as  to 
necessitate  a  repainting  very  soon,  and  the 
painter  is  consequently  very  often  blamed 
for  bad  work  by  those  who  could  not  have 
known  the  cause  of  the  trouble. 

Priming  for  Graining. — If  the  work 
is  designed  to  be  grained  in  imitation  ot 
dark  wood,  including  some  shades  of  oak, 
the  priming  should  be  stained  a  little  so  as 
to  be  about  the  same  tint  as  the  wood  in- 
tended, because  if  primed  white,  it  will  be 
apt  to  show  in  joints  which  may  in  time 


58 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTIXG. 


occur,  or  in  any  accidental  dents  or 
scratches. 

Cleaning. — The  plaster  and  dust 
should  be  cleaned  off  from  new  wood- 
work, preparatory  to  priming,  without 
using  water — or  as  little  as  possible ;  for 
the  wet  will  raise  the  grain  and  make  the 
work  very  rough.  It  can  be  cleaned  in 
the  same  time  and  with  no  more  labor  by 
old  sand-paper  or  a  block  of  wood,  and 
a  dry  scrubbing-brush,  dusting  off  after- 
ward with  the  duster. 

White-Lead  Putty. — Some  putty  is 
apt  to  show  through  two  coats  of  white, 
therefore  it  is  very  useful  to  mix  a-  little 
white-lead  with  it ;  about  one  third  in 
bulk  of  lead  will  answer  to  make  it  con- 
siderably whiter,  and  it  will  be  covered 
better  with  the  paint. 

Suitable  Brush. — A  brush  of  the  larg- 
est 6  O  size,  about  half  worn,  is  the 
best  for  inside  priming ;  a  new  one, 
or  one  too  much  worn,  would  make  rough 
work,  unless  more  time  and  care  is 
used.    In  working  rapidly,  the  brush  is 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  59 


sometimes  apt  to  spatter  the  paint  on  the 
floor  ;  in  such  cases,  it  is  well  to  have  a 
cloth  or  a  large  sheet  of  stout  paper  to 
spread  down  to  work  on. 

Drop-Cloths. — Drop-cloths  are  very 
useful,  and  should  be  in  readiness  in 
many  kinds  of  work  to  guard  against 
danger  of  spattering.  The  best  of  work- 
men require  them  when  painting  in  rooms 
with  the  carpet  or  oil-cloth  down,  and 
they  can  work  much  faster  with  them  ;  it 
is  therefore  no  indication  of  a  careless 
workman,  but  rather  the  contrary. 

System. — The  importance  of  system  in 
painting,  spoken  of  elsewhere,  must  not 
be  lost  sight  of  in  priming  inside,  for 
upon  it  depends  a  saving  of  much  time. 

Old  Wood- Work. — Where  old  work 
inside  requires  more  than  one  coat  to  fin- 
ish, the  priming  should  be  mixed  with 
less  oil  than  for  new  work.  One  quarter 
to  three  quarters  of  turpentine  is  suffi- 
cient, sometimes  even  less.  In  case  the 
work  is  in  good  condition  as  regards  pre- 


CO  THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-FAINTING. 

vious  painting,  the  first  coat  may  be 
mixed  the  same  as  for  finishing. 

White  Shellac. — Old  wood- work  re- 
quiring to  be  repainted  is  sometimes  very 
badly  discolored  from  pitch  and  sappy 
spots  in  it.  To  prevent  these  from  showing 
again,  the  spots  must  be  covered  over  with 
a  coat  of  bleached  shellac-varnish,  made  by 
dissolving  white  shellac  in  alcohol  the 
same  as  that  for  killing  knots  and  shellac- 
ing new  wood -work.  The  alcohol  for  this 
purpose  requires  to  be  of  the  best  quality, 
and  the  varnish  to  be  kept  well  corked 
in  cans  or  bottles.  Both  the  white  and 
brown  shellac-varnishes  can  be  bought 
ready  to  use,  and  are  about  as  cheap  as 
for  the  painter  to  make  them,  as  some 
difficulty  and  danger  attends  the  prepara- 
tion. White  shellac  may  ere  long  be 
cheap  enough  to  allow  of  its  being  used 
for  new  work  as  well  as  all  other  ;  in 
fact,  it  may  be  best  to  use  it  at  any  rate, 
for  it  does  not  stain  the  work  so  darkly  as 
the  brown,  and  is  covered  easier.  To  make 
shellac-varnish,  dissolve  one  pound  of 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  fil 

gum-shellac  in  one  gallon  of  good  alcohol  ; 
if  the  alcohol  cannot  be  procured  of  the 
best  quality  and  purity,  the  application 
of  heat  will  be  necessary,  by  putting  the 
can  containing  the  gum  and  alcohol  in  a 
kettle  of  boiling  water,  and  stirring  it 
frequently,  and  being  careful  to  leave  a 
vent  to  prevent  an  explosion. 

Preparing. — The  priming  must  be 
thoroughly  dry,  and  then  sand-papered 
down,  in  case  there  are  any  rough  places, 
or  dust  dried  in  the  priming.  If  any 
stains  from  pitch  should  appear,  apply 
the  white  shellac  previous  to  finishing, 
and  be  careful  to  dust  off  the  work  well  ; 
and  also  it  is  necessary  to  have  the  rooms 
swept  out,  that  the  work  may  not  get 
dusted  while  wet,  by  letting  the  dirt  be 
swept  by  currents  of  air  upon  it  when  a 
door  or  window  may  be  opened.  The 
work  should  be  examined  to  see  if  any 
puttying  is  omitted,  and  this  must  be 
seen  to  before  commencing  to  paint. 

Flatting. — Finishing-coats  for  ordina- 
ry work  are  mixed  with  turpentine  alone, 


62  THE  ART  OF  HO  USE -PAINTING. 


without  any  oil  except  that  in  which  the 
lead  or  zinc  is  ground,  and  must  be  ap- 
plied very  carefully,  skilfully,  and  at  the 
same  time  very  quickly  with  a  good 
brush  ;  each  portion  of  the  work  must  be 
finished  before  leaving  it  for  a  moment, 
and  the  joinings  around  panels  at  the  ends 
of  cross- stiles  and  such  like  places,  or  on 
large  spaces,  must  be  kept  wet  until  the 
whole  is  done  ;  then  it  has  a  very  beauti- 
ful, uniform  dead  look  when  dry,  and  is 
called  by  painters  ' '  flatting. ' '  In  flatting 
walls  or  ceilings,  two  or  more  workmen 
are  necessary  to  work  together  to  keep 
the  joinings  always  wet  until  finished, 
and  they  should  have  their  scaffolding  or 
steps  arranged  so  that  the  least  possible 
delay  occurs  in  moving  them,  otherwise 
the  paint  will  set  at  the  joinings  and  spoil 
the  flatting,  and  it  is  impossible  to  reme- 
dy such  defects  but  by  rubbing  down 
and  doing  the  work  over  again.  Flatting 
heavy  work  or  large  spaces  must  be  done 
in  closed  rooms  ;  no  current  of  air  should 
be  allowed  to  draw  through  and  over  the 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  63 

work  until  finished,  as  it  will  set  the  paint 
too  fast  to  work  safely.  Brushes  for  this 
kind  of  work  must  be  of  the  finest  and 
best  kind,  little  and  evenly  worn.  Un- 
even walls  and  badly  planed  wood-work, 
when  painted  in  oil-color  or  glossed,  show 
plainly  every  ridge  and  defect,  which  does 
not  appear  in  flatting ;  thus  the  term 
"flatting."  It  is  very  seldom  that  walls 
are  made  perfect  enough  to  finish  with  a 
gloss  or  varnish  ;  or  wood- work  dressed 
with  sufficient  care,  particularly  on  con- 
tract work,  to  finish  with  porcelain  or  en- 
amelled surface,  or  to  look  well  when  high- 
ly varnished  ;  therefore  it  is  preferable  in 
most  cases  to  flat  the  work  where  neatness 
or  perfection  is  desired  in  the  painting. 
Flatting  when  dry  is  very  hard,  but  soap, 
in  scrubbing  and  cleaning,  will  dissolve 
or  cut  it,  and  therefore  does  not  do  very 
well  for  kitchens  or  parts  where  much 
cleaning  is  required  ;  but  for  parlors,  bed- 
rooms, halls,  and  such  like  places,  it  is 
lasting  and  durable,  and  when  requiring 
to  be  cleaned,  generally  clear  water  is  suf- 


64 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 


ficient.  Boiled  oil,  more  or  less,  accord- 
ing to  the  place,  added  to  flat  color,  ren- 
ders it  harder,  and  suitable  for  kitchens 
and  other  like  places.  Where  a  third 
coat  for  finish  is  intended,  the  second 
coat  should  be  flatting  color,  with  the  ad- 
dition of  a  little  raw  linseed-oil,  about  a 
gill  to  ten  pounds  ;  this  gives  more  time  to 
work  the  paint,  the  oil  preventing  it  from 
setting  quick,  and  also  allowing  the  room 
to  be  open  in  case  of  hot  weather,  and 
thus  making  it  more  comfortable  for  the 
workmen  ;  otherwise,  both  coats  may  be  of 
the  flatting  color.  The  consistency  of  flat 
color  depends  somewhat  upon  circum- 
stances. It  should  be  thin  enough  to 
work  easy,  not  apt  to  run  down  the 
joints  and  carvings,  and  thick  enough 
to  cover  the  woody  color  of  primed  work, 
which  will  easily  be  accomplished  if  the 
priming  has  been  sufficiently  good  and 
stout.  A  material  object  in  flatting  is  the 
tendency  of  the  paint  to  retain  its  original 
and  intended  purity  of  tint  ;  flat  white 
will  remain  white,    but  finishing-coats, 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  65 

with  even  a  small  proportion  of  oil,  in 
rooms  closed  or  partially  closed  most  of 
the  time,  will  turn  yellow,  and  other  colors, 
which  will  turn  darker. 

System  is  particularly  requisite  in  flat- 
ting, as  without  it  such  work  as  win- 
dows, doors,  and  inside  shutters  and 
blinds  cannot  be  well  done  ;  and  it  is  in 
this  kind  of  finishing  that  the  workman 
soon  linds  the  necessity  of  observing  it 
very  strictly.  Different  workmen  may  have 
different  systems  for  particular  portions  of 
work,  but  as  long  as  it  is  a  definite  one,  it 
does  not  much  matter. 

Ego-shell  Gloss. —  Rooms  that  are 
kept  very  light  most  of  the  time  may  be  fin- 
ished with  what  is  termed  ' '  egg-shell  gloss' ' 
— that  is,  by  adding  oil  to  fiat  color  in  small 
proportions  sufficient  to  prevent  its  dry- 
ing positively  dead  or  flat,  but  having  an 
oily  surface  when  dry,  yet  not  positively 
glossy.  In  light  rooms,  this  kind  of  finish 
will  retain  its  original  tint  and  endure 
much  longer,  and  bear  more  cleaning  than 
flatting.    It  is  about  the  same  as  color 


06 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTIXG. 


mixed  as  directed  where  a  third  coat  is 
intended, 

Tinting. — Painting  rooms  in  parti-col 
ors  or  tinting  the  panels  one  shade  and  the 
stiles  another,  and  sometimes  the  mould- 
ings a  third,  is  a  very  beautiful  finish,  and 
in  some  cities  has  been  a  prevailing  fashion. 

In  most  cases,  the  two  last  coats  should 
be  tinted,  but  sometimes  the  last  one  is 
sufficient,  particularly  if  the  shades  to  be 
obtained  are  not  very  dark.  The  color 
must  be  divided  into  as  many  parts  as 
shades  are  wanted,  and  in  proportions 
equal  to  the  amount  of  w^ork  to  be  done 
with  each,  then  adding  fine  ground  colors, 
such  as  vermilion,  blue,  yellow,  umber, 
india  red,  lakes,  ochre,  and  such  like  ma- 
terials, of  the  best  qualities,  in  kind  and 
proportion  to  produce  the  desired  tint. 
They  may  be  applied  all  at  the  same  time 
and  the  work  finished,  or,  as  will  be  the  best 
way,  the  principal  shades  may  be  used 
first,  such  as  on  panels  and  stiles,  and 
when  dry  or  set,  then  the  other  tints  may 
be  put  on.    Much  depends,  for  the  beauty 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING.  67 

of  this  kind  of  work,  upon  the  care  and 
neatness  with  wiiich  it  is  done  ;  no  spot  of 
one  tint  must  be  allowed  to  appear  upon 
another,  but  all  should  be  perfectly  clean 
and  regular.  In  disposing  the  colors,  the 
lightest  should  be  used  on  panels,  the 
darker  shades  on  stiles.  In  tinting  mould- 
ings or  beads,  a  small  brush  should  bo 
used ;  sometimes  a  tine  cameF  s-hair  or  sable 
pencil  is  best,  in  case  the  mouldings  to  be 
covered  are  small.  Tints  in  chambers  are 
sometimes  made  to  match  the  shades  of 
ornamental  or  enamelled  furniture  con- 
tained therein  ;  or  to  match  two  or  three 
shades  on  the  paper  with  which  the  walls 
may  be  covered.  Parlors  and  other  apart- 
ments are  frequently  tinted  to  match  the 
paper.  The  principal  paint  is  mixed  the 
same  as  for  flatting  or  finishing. 

Gloss  or  Enamel. — Where  the  wood- 
work is  well  finished  and  dressed  smooth 
and  level,  gloss  or  enamel  makes  a  very 
fine  and  beautiful,  as  well  as  durable  fin- 
ish. It  is  done  by  first  having  a  good 
ground  of  white-lead  paint,  flatted  and 


68 


THE  ART  OF  UOUSE-PAINTING. 


finely  rubbed  down  with  line  sand-paper, 
put  on  the  work  ;  then  put  into  the  paint 
some  good  demar  or  white  copal-varnish, 
sufficient  to  leave  the  egg-shell  gloss  when 
dry ;  being  very  careful  that  it  is  applied 
smoothly  and  laid  off  finely,  leaving  no 
runs  or  strong  brush-marks  ;  then  apply 
the  varnish  alone  with  just  enough  paint 
to  color  it.  This  last  coat  must  be  flowed 
on  the  work,  not  rubbed  out  or  brushed 
like  the  previous  coats,  but  left  on  thicker 
or  in  greater  body,  evenly  brushed  out  so 
as  not  to  be  thicker  in  one  place  than  in 
another,  or  full  in  the  mouldings  so  as  to 
run  out  over  the  stile  or  panel.  Quick- 
ness and  carefulness  are  very  requisite  in 
the  finish.  Zinc-white  of  the  best  quality 
should  be  used  for  the  two  last  coats, 
broken  up  thick  with  turpentine  and 
strained  very  fine.  Enamel-finish,  to  re- 
tain its  pure  white,  should  be  made  with 
zinc  ground  in  varnish  for  the  purpose,  the 
first  coat  thinned  with  turpentine,  the  last 
with  good  demar  or  copal-varnish.  If  the 
varnish  is  old  and  thick,  a  little  turpentine 


THE  ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 


69 


must  be  used  to  thin  it.  Zinc  ground  in 
varnish  as  above  can  be  procured  in  sealed 
cans  at  the  stores  where  the  best  materials 
are  sold.  It  should  be  remembered  that 
stains  from  pitch  in  the  wood  must  first 
be  covered  with  the  shellac  previous  to 
finishing  for  gloss  or  enamel. 

Ground  Colors  for  Graining. — Most 
kinds  of  imitations  of  woods  are  done  with 
oil-colors  ;  the  old-fashioned  water  or  beer 
colors  are  done  away  with,  except  in  some 
woods  not  much  imitated  in  the  present 
day,  such  as  rose,  maple,  and  mahogany — 
these  latter  require  a  ground  nearly  flat ; 
but  for  oak  and  black- walnut,  the  ground 
should  be  a  good  gloss,  and  for  new  wood- 
work three  coats  are  necessary  to  make 
good  graining,  and  the  paint  must  be  well 
strained  and  carefully  put  on  as  if  for  the 
best  finish.  The  color  for  oak  is  to  be 
tinted  with  good  ground  ochre  and  red  ;  if 
for  dark  oak,  to  about  the  shade  of  sal- 
mon color  ;  if  for  light,  just  a  mere  staining 
or  tinting  from  white  ;  or  even  white  itself 
will  do  for  very  light  oak.    For  black- 


70 


THE   ART  OF  HOUSE-PAINTING. 


walnut,  the  ground  is  to  be  composed  of 
white  ochre  and  umber,  to  get  the  shade 
of  the  lightest  parts  of  dry  black- walnut 
wood.  For  mahogany,  get  a  dark  orange 
color  with  ochre,  white  and  red.  For  rose- 
wood, pure  vermilion  is  the  best,  though  a 
good  brilliant  red  may  serve  the  purpose. 
For  maple  or  satin-wood,  pure  white  with 
a  trifle  of  chrome-yellow  ;  some  grain  it  on 
pure  white.  The  shades  of  graining  of  the 
various  kinds  can  be  varied  by  the  grain- 
ing and  shading,  and  other  artistic  effects 
must  be  produced  by  the  skill  and  taste 
of  the  workman.  And  now  having  guided 
the  painter  thus  far,  I  take  my  leave  of 
him,  hoping  that  he  may  continue  to  ad- 
vance to  the  highest  degree  of  perfection 
in  his  art.  J.  S. 


